New iPad mini photos appear to firm up earlier leaks

With a new smaller iPad all but confirmed at this point and an October announcement rumored, we can expect the pace of leaks and rumors to pick up dramatically over the coming weeks. In the latest round of leaks, new photos of an iPad mini model have been published on Chinese tech blog Bolopad.com and they coincide with earlier images that leaked last week. The tablet model, which is thought to be assembled from authentic iPad mini parts in an effort to help third-party accessory makers build cases in time for the slate’s launch, shows a slim new iPad with a smaller 9-pin dock connector port and a rear-facing camera. Apple’s (AAPL) iPad mini is rumored to feature a 7.85-inch display and it will reportedly be priced between $249 and $299. An additional image of the iPad mini model follows below.